Maxime Guyon

Chantilly's card on Monday featured some promising juveniles and none more so than the Aga Khan's filly Rayevka (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}--Rayisa {Ire}, by Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) lit up the six-furlong fillies' conditions event with a scintillating display to become her sire's fourth TDN Rising Star. Narrowly denied on debut by Juddmonte's Better Together (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) at Deauville last month, the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained homebred was in command from the outset strong in the hands of Maxime Guyon. Never in any danger out on her own, the 1-2...

Andre Fabre trainee Nitoi (Siyouni {Fr}--Lady Zuzu, by Dynaformer), a half-brother to G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern and G1 Hong Kong Vase hero Junko (GB) (Intello {Ger}), justified 8-5 favouritism with a 2 1/2-length victory in Monday's Prix de la Maniguette over nine furlongs at Chantilly. 2nd-Chantilly, €30,000, Mdn, 9-17, 2yo, c/g, 9fT, 1:54.26, sf. NITOI (c, 2, Siyouni {Fr}--Lady Zuzu {MGSP-US, $112,615}, by Dynaformer) was well away and asserted for an early lead in this debut. Holding sway throughout, the 8-5 favourite was nudged along when threatened by Bellagio...

All eyes were on the returning G1 Prix du Jockey Club hero Look De Vega (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) in Sunday's G2 Qatar Prix Niel at ParisLongchamp, but while he appeared to run out of stamina the Wertheimers' Sosie (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}--Sosia {Ger}, by Shamardal) proved that is his strong suit to book his Arc ticket. Rested since his G1 Grand Prix de Paris success over this course and mile-and-a-half trip, the Andre Fabre-trained homebred shadowed that Classic-winning peer throughout the early stages with Ronan Thomas happy...

All the rage beforehand, Mojave River (Fr) (Mohaather {GB}--Quintessenz {Ger}, by Soldier Hollow {GB}) fared best of the debutantes contesting Thursday's valuable Arqana Series Des Pouliches at Deauville. Sent to the fore from the outset by Maxime Guyon, the Joseph O'Brien-trained 28-10 favourite asserted her superiority in the final furlong to score by two lengths from Bogota (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}). Mojave River, who qualified for this incentive by selling for €17,000 at the 2022 Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale, becomes the ninth winner for her first-season sire. https://twitter.com/i/status/1824055608783331730

Yann Barberot trainee Lhakpa (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}--Enchanting Skies {Ire}, by Sea The Stars {Ire}), a half-sister to the multiple Group 1-placed Beauvatier (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), followed up a narrow debut victory at Compiegne in June with a 1 3/4-length success in Tuesday's Prix du Mezeray at Deauville. 2nd-Deauville, €34,000, Cond, 8-13, 2yo, f, 7 1/2fT, 1:40.49, gd. LHAKPA (IRE) (f, 2, Siyouni {Fr}--Enchanting Skies {Ire} {SP-Fr}, by Sea The Stars {Ire}), who posted a narrow victory going seven furlongs at Compiegne in her June 22 debut last time,...

Winning ParisLongchamp's G1 Grand Prix de Paris for the 14th time, Andre Fabre was also ending a drought of 10 years since the last as the Wertheimers' Sosie (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}--Sosia {Ger}, by Shamardal) prevailed at ParisLongchamp on Saturday evening. Third in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club last time, the homebred became the latest to emerge to bestow extra gravity on that Chantilly Classic as he swept by his contemporaries up this hallowed straight. Ideally placed in fourth early by Maxime Guyon, the 5-2 second favourite took...

Chantilly's G1 Prix de Diane programme opened with a bang when Alain and Gerard Wertheimer's homebred 2-year-old filly Polyvega (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}--Polydream {Ire}, by Oasis Dream {GB}) unleashed a debut performance of note to attain 'TDN Rising Star' status in Sunday's Prix de la Reine Blanche Longines Polyvega was a shade slow from the stands' side stall and raced in fourth after the initial strides of this debutantes' heat. Cruising forward on the bridle once past halfway, the 3-1 second choice was shaken up to seize control approaching...

Alain and Gerard Wertheimer's Junko (GB) (Intello {Ger}--Lady Zuzu, by Dynaformer), who collected two Group 1 contests last term, encountered heavy ground for the first time in 17 career starts and prevailed, just, in a pulsating renewal of Sunday's G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly. The 23-10 favourite tanked forward from an early position in rear to stalk the tempo in second after steady initial exchanges. Inching closer in the straight to challenge at the quarter-mile marker, he was ridden to poach a decisive advantage passing the furlong pole and came under...

Relishing the step up to a mile and a half for the first time, the Wertheimers' blueblooded TDN Rising Star Aventure (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}--Balladeuse {Fr}, by Singspiel {Ire}) turned Sunday's G3 Prix de Royaumont at Chantilly into a procession to book her ticket to the G1 Prix de Diane. Held up towards the rear early by Maxime Guyon, the Christophe Ferland-trained homebred took off when asked in the straight and after surging to the front 300 metres out hit the line with seven lengths to spare over Vigatata...

Relishing front-running tactics, the Wertheimers' TDN Rising Star Pensee Du Jour (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) returned to winning ways in Monday's G2 Prix Corrida at Saint-Cloud. Never in any serious danger once Maxime Guyon had committed, the Andre Fabre-trained 7-5 favourite who was runner-up in ParisLongchamp's G3 Prix Allez France last month gave generously to score by 1 1/2 lengths from Quantanamera (Ger) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). It was at this track that Prix Rose de Mai started to look like a genuine Classic prospect last Spring when winning the Listed...

Before the storm, the finish to Sunday's G1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Pouliches had a true 80s throwback feel to it, with the world-famous Aga Khan and Sangster silks involved at the death of the ParisLongchamp Classic. When the photo was taken, it was the former's distinguished livery that was in front sported by the 31-1 outsider Rouhiya (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}--Rondonia {Ire}, by Raven's Pass), with the 45-1 shot Kathmandu (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) failing by a head to bring the Sangster colours back into the winner's spot after...

Alain and Gerard Wertheimer's twice-raced Halfday (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}--Daytime {GB}, by Frankel {GB}), who followed up a debut second at Deauville with a breakthrough score at Chantilly in December, continued on the upgrade with a dominant display in Friday's G3 Prix Cleopatre at Saint-Cloud. The 27-5 chance broke in fourth, but was relegated to last of the six contenders after extended opening exchanges. Bustled along off the home turn, she made relentless headway in the straight to launch her challenge entering the final furlong and was ridden clear...